World News – CA – Lloyd Harris’ Dubai dream run continues: He is in the finals!

March 19, 2021

Lloyd Harris from South Africa at the Dubai Tennis Championships, an ATP 500 event in Dubai Photo: Dubai Tennis Championships

South Africa’s top tennis player, Lloyd Harris, continued his dream run at the ATP Dubai tournament on Friday when he reached his first final on the ATP Tour

Harris, 24, returned from a loss to Canadian Denis Shapovalov and won 6/7 (5/7), 6-4, 7/6 (8/6) in a 2-hour battle against the Titans and 37 minutes

At the beginning of the tournament, Lloyd Harris defeated the Austrian top seed and number 4 in the world, Dominic Thiem, in the second round, and the Japanese number 1, Kei Nishikori, in the third round

Cape Town’s Harris will face either the Russian world No. 8 Andrey Rublev or on his 42 Compatriot Aslan Karatsev

Should he win the final, he will be placed on 45 Place in the world, while if he loses he is 52nd Place – both new career highlights

“I don’t have many words right now, I’m very happy with this win,” said Harris

“Being a set and 2-4 down is a bit of a mental and physical effort for me, but that’s where I found my best tennis. I’m very happy with the result right now”

Shapovalov was on his way to victory after shadowing a tiebreaker in the first set and breaking Harris in the fifth game of the second set

However, the Canadian who hadn’t dropped his serve all week made a number of unforced mistakes and was broken twice when Harris forced a final set

Both players served throughout the playoff before Harris triumphed in another tie on his second match point

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